Life Insurance Agent: Ohio Requirements And Steps

Becoming a life insurance agent in Ohio requires a few key steps. First, you'll need to complete an insurance pre-licensing course, which provides essential knowledge and tools to prepare for the state licensing exam. This course typically covers specific industry information and can be completed in a classroom or online, with a duration of around 20-40 hours. After the course, individuals must pass the state licensing exam, which tests general insurance knowledge and Ohio-specific insurance laws and regulations. The exam is multiple-choice and must be passed with a minimum grade of 70%. Following this, a fingerprint-based background check is required, which can be arranged through the Ohio Attorney General Webcheck Portal or a National WebCheck provider. The final step is to submit an insurance license application, which can be done online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) website. The entire process can take a few weeks, so planning and dedication are essential for aspiring life insurance agents in Ohio.

Complete an Ohio Insurance Pre-license Course

To become a life insurance agent in Ohio, you must complete an Ohio Insurance Pre-license Course. This is a mandatory step for all major lines of insurance, including Life, Accident & Health, and Property. The course must contain a minimum of 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each line of authority you intend to pursue. For example, if you want to obtain a Property and Casualty license, you will need to complete at least 40 hours of prelicensing education.

The course can be taken either in a physical classroom or online. It is important to choose a reputable course provider to ensure you receive sufficient preparation for the licensing exam. The course should cover specific industry knowledge that will be tested during the exam, as there is very little information on the test that could be considered “common sense.”

Upon completion of the pre-licensing course, you will receive a Course Completion Certificate. This certificate is valid for 180 days from the date of completion, and you will need to present the original copy at the test location when you go to take your licensing exam. Therefore, it is important to register for your exam promptly after finishing the course.

Kaplan is a popular course provider, with over 81% of readers of one source choosing to use their online courses, which come with a 93% pass rate. Other course providers include Hondros College, AD Banker, and ABTrainingCenter.

Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

To become a life insurance agent in Ohio, you'll need to complete a fingerprint-based background check. This is a mandatory step in the process and will cost no more than $72.25.

To organise a fingerprinting appointment, you'll need to get in touch with one of Ohio's Webcheck vendors via the Ohio Attorney General Webcheck Portal. It's important to select a vendor that offers both state and federal background checks, as not all do.

At your appointment, you'll receive a receipt, which you should keep for your records.

The background check will delve into your past conduct to ensure you meet the state's insurance agent regulations. Any misdemeanours or felonies may impact the outcome of your licensing efforts. If you have any concerns about this, you can contact the Ohio Department of Insurance for guidance.

After completing your fingerprint-based background check, you must submit your license application within one year of passing the licensing exam. If you don't, you'll need to retake the exam.

Take the Ohio Life Insurance Licensing Exam

The Ohio Life Insurance Licensing Exam is administered by PSI, the official testing service for delivering licensure exams in Ohio. The exam outline contains a total of 100 scored questions covering two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge, while the state-specific section covers insurance concepts, terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to Ohio.

You will have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The exam fee is $42, which must be paid at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is proctored, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.

If you fail the exam, you can retake it as soon as 24 hours after your first attempt. There is no limit to the number of attempts you can make. To prepare for the exam, you can take a Life Insurance Practice Exam.

To schedule your exam, go to the PSI website or call them at 855-807-3995. On the day of the exam, bring a paper copy of your Course Completion Certificate, a valid government-issued ID (e.g. driver's license or passport), and a supplementary form of ID (e.g. credit card or birth certificate).

Results

After completing the previous steps, the ODI will review your application and background check. This process usually takes seven to ten business days from the date you submit your application. Once the review is complete, the ODI will email you with its decision or ask for more information.

You can print your license from the ODI website free of charge. If you don't remember your license number, you can find it using the Ohio Department of Insurance Agent Locator tool.

Complete an Ohio Life Insurance License Application

To become a life insurance agent in Ohio, you must complete an Ohio Life Insurance License Application. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

Step 1: Complete an Ohio Insurance Pre-license Course

Before taking the Ohio life insurance licensing exam, it is important to acquire the knowledge needed to pass this exam on the first attempt. Completing a pre-license education course will equip you with the necessary information and tools to prepare for the exam. In Ohio, you must take a 20-hour, pre-license course on life insurance. After completing the course, you will need to present a valid photo ID and an original certificate of completion from the approved pre-license education provider when you arrive to take your exam. Your pre-license course certificate will be valid for 12 months.

A pre-license education course provides very specific industry knowledge that will be tested during the exam. There is very little information on the test that could be considered “common sense”. Pre-license education courses are self-paced and include study materials like practice exams and flashcards.

Step 2: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After completing the required pre-license education hours, you must get a fingerprint-based background check from the Ohio Attorney General Webcheck Portal. The fee for fingerprinting services is $72.25 to cover the cost of comparing your prints against criminal history records. Schedule your fingerprinting appointment through any of the vendors listed on the Ohio Attorney General Webcheck Portal. At your fingerprinting appointment, you will receive a receipt – be sure to keep the original receipt for your records.

Step 3: Take the Ohio Life Insurance Licensing Exam

After you complete a prep course and the fingerprint-based background check, it’s time to take the Ohio life insurance exam. Ohio uses PSI as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams. The Ohio life insurance exam outline contains a total of 100 scored questions that cover two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The state-specific section covers insurance concepts, rules, regulations, and practices specific to Ohio. You will have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The Ohio life insurance exam fee is $42, which you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.

Step 4: Complete an Ohio Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam, you can apply for your Ohio life insurance license. The application fee is $10 plus a $5.60 transaction fee, and you must apply online via the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam. To apply for a life insurance license in Ohio, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Ohio Insurance Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. Send any questions or supporting documents to [email protected].

Step 5: Watch for Your Application Results

After completing the above four steps, the ODI will review your application and background check. It reviews applications in the order they are received, and this process usually takes seven to ten business days from the date you submit your application. Once the ODI finishes reviewing your application, it will email you with its decision or ask you to provide more information. You can print your license from the ODI website. There is no charge to print a license. If you don’t remember your license number, you can find it by using this Ohio Department of Insurance Agent Locator tool.

Watch for Your Application Results

After you've completed the previous four steps, the ODI will review your application and background check. This process usually takes seven to ten business days from the date you submit your application.

Once the ODI finishes reviewing your application, they'll email you with their decision or ask you to provide more information.

You can print your license from the ODI website. There's no charge to print a license. If you don't remember your license number, you can find it by using this Ohio Department of Insurance Agent Locator tool.

You're now ready to get started as a life insurance agent in Ohio.

Steps After Getting Your License

Once you've passed all your exams and your licensing application has been approved, there are a few steps you'll need to take to maintain your license and excel as an insurance agent.

Obtain All Relevant Securities Licenses

If you're planning on selling advanced life insurance products, you'll likely need to pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam and obtain the relevant securities licenses (e.g. Series 6, 7, and 63).

Choose a Means of Selling

You'll have to decide whether you'd prefer working as a captive agent employed by one company, or running your own business as an independent agent.

If you're just starting out, you'll likely benefit from working as a captive agent, but this will ultimately depend on your personal aspirations and opportunities.

Develop Your Marketing Approach

To succeed as an insurance agent, you'll need to adopt a marketing approach that's effective for you.

We recommend finding and sticking to a niche, as well as organizing all client appointments for the start of your week. This is because this can improve your overall client conversions.

Keep Your License Valid

In Ohio, you must complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years to renew your license and keep it in good standing. Three of those hours must focus on ethics and/or consumer protection.

To avoid delays in renewing your license, it's good practice to aim to have completed your CE at least 90 days before your license expires.

This will allow your provider to report your completed credits to the ODI.

Note: Even though there is no renewal fee, a $50 late fee is imposed.

Frequently asked questions